One of the most exciting aspects of 6th grade at TBI is our year-long curriculum of cantillation, or learning to chant our sacred texts. We begin with Torah, and later in the year we will learn how to chant Haftarah. Cantillation marks are called trope, or ta’amei hamikrah טעמי המקרא in Hebrew.

All trope symbols have 3 functions:
1. Melody – how do I sing this
2. Syllabic Stress – how do I pronounce this word
3. Punctuation – do I continue to the next word (m’chaber / connector) or do I pause (mafsik / separator)

All of the symbols belong to one of the six trope clauses or families. Each clause is named for the most important trope symbol in that clause, the one that comes at the end of the clause. The six clause families are: Etnachta, Sof-Pasuk, Katon, T’vir, R’vii, and Segol. Here is a helpful resource worksheet for learning the six clause families: Trope Clauses.

I teach trope using multiple approaches. First the students listen to the sound of the symbol, then I demonstrate the hand symbol, then the students chant back the sound using the hand symbol. Then we add that symbol to the symbols that connect to it, it’s clause. Then I put the symbol on the board using it’s Hebrew name with an English transliteration. Then the students identify the symbol located in several examples including the prayer V’ahavta, our textbook, and examples from Torah, such as a part of Parashat B’reishit (Genesis 1:1-13). Each clause is color coded, with highlighter, so once the students have identified the symbol in their examples they highlight the clauses as a visual indicator of understanding. Then we practice the various examples out loud, and using their functions (listed above). We also play a game in which I show the students the hand symbols, and they have to chant them back. This entire process allows our students to learn to read Torah, not just memorize their portions.

Trope is an important curriculum that we learn each year. To assist in our learning, I have created a dedicated page of our class blog: Trope page. The trope page contains the worksheets we work on in class, recordings of each clause, as well as the blessings and other helpful resources. The first half the page is dedicated to Torah, the second half to Haftarah. We will begin studying Haftarah sometime in the winter semester.

So far, our students have learned two clauses: Sof-Pasuk and Etnachta. The Sof-Pasuk clause contains three symbols: Mercha Tipcha and Sof-Pasuk. The Etnachta clause contains: Mercha Tipcha Munach and Etnachta. It is helpful that the first two clauses have shared symbols. We learned that Munach is a chameleon in that it’s melody changes according to whichever trope follows it. So Munach Etnachta will sound different than Munach followed by another symbol.

Our goal is to learn a few new symbols each week, and to practice what we have already learned. Please try to limit absences from Sunday school during the 11:10-12:10 block, as that is our trope time. As trope is an experiential curriculum, the students learn by doing. The trope page exists to aid with home practice, but it is not a substitute for in class learning. If your student is going to be absent, please email me for information about which clause we were working on. Your student can help catch up, by practicing with the recordings of the trope clauses.

Thank you for your support during this new exciting time in your students life. Our work in 6th grade, along with the B’nai Mitzvah seminar, will help your student achieve their goals as a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, to become an adult member of our TBI community.